Racing at Del Mar : Stylish Star Upholds One-Filly, One-Stake Rule

The California turf fillies have been a bewildering bunch this season, with a new star emerging every time a stake has been run.

Things were no different Sunday at Del Mar, when it was Stylish Star’s turn in the spotlight after her 2 3/4-length upset in the $165,000 Del Mar Oaks.

Chris McCarron, riding Stylish Star for the first time for trainer Dan Hendricks, kept the daughter of Our Native slightly off the pace of Tapping Tudor to the final turn, then accelerated clear and won without facing a serious challenge. It was that simple.

“She was going comfortably all the way,” said McCarron. “It certainly was a good feeling when she responded at the head of the lane.”

The favored entry of Darby’s Daughter and General Charge finished second and third, respectively, in the field of nine 3-year-old fillies, while Claiborne Farm’s Kelly put in her usual late run to be an unthreatening fourth.

Stylish Star was bred and is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Tom Cavanagh of Beverly Hills, who always appreciate a clear-cut victory. In 1981 their handicap horse Caterman won the Hollywood Gold Cup but was disqualified for interference. Caterman won the Cabrillo Handicap at Del Mar the next year.

Hendricks, one of two local trainers used by the Cavanaghs, is a native of nearby Rancho Santa Fe and former assistant to trainer Richard Mandella. The Oaks was his second Del Mar stakes victory and the first $100,000-plus triumph of his career.

“Really got to thinking this could be a nice filly at Hollywood Park in her third grass race there,” said Hendricks, referring to a narrow defeat on July 10. “At that point I thought she might peak down here and have a shot in this race.”

Hendricks bypassed the Aug. 13 San Clemente Handicap to run Stylish Star in an allowance race four days later. Darby’s Daughter was an impressive winner of the San Clemente, while Stylish Star quietly defeated Noble and Nice, a maiden, in the lesser event.

Sunday’s crowd of 46,818--22,415 on-track and 24,403 off-track--keyed their betting to the San Clemente, making the Frankel entry favored at 9-10.

But the fans should have looked around for a filly who had not won a stake this season; six horses have now won major races in the division.

A key race turned out to be the restricted Typecast Stakes on Hollywood Park’s closing day, July 24, in which Stylish Star finished second to A Thrilling Moment.

A Thrilling Moment won Saturday’s San Jose Handicap at Bay Meadows, a result that encouraged Hendricks even further. McCarron took it from there.

“Dan just told me that she would be close to the pace,” said McCarron, who also won a $38,000 supporting feature Sunday.

“I wasn’t in front early, but nobody was making me go faster than we wanted, which was nice.”

Stylish Star now has three victories in 11 starts, dating to her debut at Del Mar last September. She covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 3/5.

Stylish Star returned $33.80, $7.40 and $6. The entry returned $2.40 to place and $2.40 to show.

Horse Racing Notes

Hollywood Park officials have proposed running their $1 million Hollywood Futurity on Christmas Eve. Reaction from owners and trainers has been tepid. . . . Charlie Whittingham will be on the cargo flight from Ontario National early Monday morning when he ships three horses to Chicago: Frankly Perfect and Nasr el Arab for the Sept. 3 Arlington Million and Claire Marine for the $500,000 Beverly D. Stakes on Sept. 2. Also on board will be Million starters Pleasant Variety and Pay the Butler; Del Mar Derby winner Hawkster, who is going in the Sept. 4 Secretariat Stakes; and Swaps Stakes winner Prized, whose ultimate destination is Woodbine in Ontario, Canada for the $1 million Molson Challenge, Sept. 10. . . . Ron McAnally has decided to run Bayakoa, the country’s top older mare, in the $150,000 Chula Vista Handicap next Saturday at Del Mar.

Wednesday’s seven-furlong Pat O’Brien Handicap has drawn On the Line, winner of the July 30 Bing Crosby Handicap; Sam Who, the troubled favorite in Crosby; and Oraibi, impressive sprint winner earlier in the meet. . . . With a daily average of $7.2 million, the Del Mar on and off-track handle is up 10% over last year’s figures. Add a broken left ankle to the broken collarbone suffered by apprentice Tony Guymon in Saturday’s second race. . . . Katoon and Premiere raced to the first win dead-heat of the meeting in Sunday’s first race. Third-place Gypsy’s Prophet came within a nose of making it Del Mar’s first triple dead-heat. . . . Sunday’s total Del Mar handle included $523,031 bet on the Longacres Mile in Seattle, won by Simply Majestic for the second straight year.